IT professional says having a family affects career growth in India: ‘We value availability over productivity’

An IT professional with 13 years of experience has sparked a debate on Reddit after claiming that having a family can become a disadvantage for career progression in India.An IT professional said having a family hurt career growth in India, sparking debate on work life balance. (Representational image/Unsplash)(Also read: ‘April payslip just ruined my mood’: Salaried professionals vent as steep TDS cuts leave many shocked)Sharing his experience, the Reddit user said he has worked in multiple multinational companies and is currently employed at a product based company. According to him, the workplace culture has remained largely the same across organisations, where employees who are constantly available tend to receive more visibility and recognition.“I’ve been working in IT for 13 years now and am currently in a PBC. Before this, I worked in multiple MNCs, and it’s the same everywhere. I have had colleagues and managers who start working at sharp 8 AM, and I have even seen them online and sending emails at 11 PM, getting visibility and getting a lot of work done with their 12 to 14 hour workdays,” he wrote.The user said that after getting married, he began prioritising evenings and weekends with his spouse. In the last two years, after becoming a parent, he said spending time with his child has become even more important to him.“Meanwhile, since getting married, I have always enjoyed spending time with my spouse during the evening and on weekends, enjoying a nice dinner and a walk. In the last two years, I have had a kid, and I absolutely love spending time with her,” he added.‘Unavailable after 7:30 PM’The IT professional said he usually spends his evenings with his child and spouse, but believes senior management notices the difference between employees who remain available late into the night and those who log off at a reasonable time.“I can see how much of a difference it makes to the senior management for someone who is always an email or phone call away and someone who is unavailable post 7:30 PM,” he wrote.He further claimed that his current manager is unmarried and several senior leaders do not have children, which he feels affects how his commitment is perceived.“I know that they find me not as dedicated as my other colleagues, who are also single, and it reflects on my performance reviews as well,” he said.The post was shared with the title, “Having a family is a disadvantage for career progression in India.”Take a look here at the post:Internet reactsThe post drew several reactions from Reddit users. One user wrote, “This is the bitter truth of corporate India. Availability is often maken for dedication.” Another said, “People with families are not less ambitious, they just have responsibilities beyond office work.”A third user commented, “Companies keep talking about work life balance, but promotions often go to those who are online all the time.” Another added, “Productivity should matter more than who sends emails at 11 PM.”(Also read: JP Morgan exec allegedly sexually abused junior while he cried ‘don’t make me do this’)One user wrote, “This is why many people burn out after a few years in IT.” Another said, “Managers need to understand that spending time with family is not a lack of commitment.” A seventh user added, “The culture will not change until leadership starts rewarding output instead of late night availability.”(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)